Caucasian leopard spotted in Armenia again

PanARMENIAN.Net - A Caucasian leopard has been spotted in Arevik National Park in Armenia's south, thanks to the efforts of Zangezur Biosphere Complex and WWF Armenia.

The organizations are observing national parks and state reserves in the country to monitor the wildlife, analyzing and evaluating the conservation work aimed at protecting the area against any negative impact.

In April 2018, the cameras of WWF Armenia’s in Khosrov Forest state reserve spotted a Caucasian leopard for the first time in the history of the reserve. The animal hadn’t been seen in the area in years until its tail was caught by a remote camera in Armenia's Caucasus Wildlife Refuge in 2013.

The area—and its impact on local wildlife—have grown exponentially over the last decade. Its rugged mountains, deep canyons, arid grasslands and maple- and juniper-filled forests are hot spots of biodiversity in the region, attracting rare species like Armenian mouflon (or big-horn sheep), Syrian brown bears, wolves, lynx and bezoar goats.